WILLIAM BIRCHEK — YOUNGEST SOLDIER.

The Drummer Boy of Minnesota, noted for his dexterity on the drum and for his humorous nature and many excellent jokes, was born in Indiana in 1845, and at the age of 7 years, or in 1851, came to St. Paul, where he received his education, and was at school when, in 1861, the war of the Rebellion broke out, and at the age of 16 years he joined Company X, of the Second Minnesota regiment, and went to the front as the favorite drummer boy of the boys in blue; was in the battles of Mill Spring, Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga and many others. His time expiring, he re-enlisted, and soon after joined Sherman's forces in Georgia, and was with him in his grand march to the sea; and he was also at the grand review at Washington, and during all the war he never was wounded or received a scratch.

He returned home in 1865 and engaged in various occupations, among which was a favorite saloon, known as "Billy Bircher's Place," in West St. Paul. According to the Army and Navy Journal, he is the youngest soldier now living of the great army of the Union, having enlisted in 1861 and passed through the entire service: so the first man to enlist in the war of the Rebellion in the United States (C. F. Hausdorf), and the youngest living soldier who was also in the army of the Rebellion in the United States, are both living, and are now residents of this city, a very singular and significant fact. He also beat the first long roll for the first victory of the war at Mill Spring, and the last long roll of victory at
Bentonville, North Carolina. Mr. Bircher gave up his saloon in West St. Paul and engaged in the grocery business with James McGrath, and retiring from this he removed into Dakota county, where he now is cultivating the soil. He was married to Mary Young in 1869 and has three children.

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
Bircher is full of jokes. At the late state fair there was a great crowd rushing on to the cars to get seats, and among the number were the members of the Great Western band. Two of them secured comfortable positions, leaving "Billy" out in the cold, when he made up his mind to get even with them, so when a friend and his lady entered the cars he remarked carelessly: "Cars pretty full." "Yes," said the friend, "I wouldn't care, only I have my wife with me." "Come along with me," said Bircher, "and I'll get you a seat," and forthwith he proceeded to the place occupied by his fellow musicians, and, after introducing both the lady and the gentleman to his friends, mildly remarked: "These people
would like a seat." Of course they got it, but with a mental reservation on the part of the victims that they owed "Billy Bircher just one."

GOT IT BACK.
Returning from the Rochester fair the train reached a way station in the night, dark and rainy. The members of the Great Western band were on board, and so was "Billy," who, very tired, at the time the cars stopped, was dozing, when the conductor called out: "West St. Paul!" Bircher started up, rubbed his eyes, looked out of the window, seized his drum and, half asleep, amid the darkness and the rain, jumped on to the platform while the train moved on, and at the end of the car could be seen a musician laughing over the victory he had achieved. "That aint West St. Paul, Bircher," cried out one of his friends. "Oh, you get out," said Bircher; "I was here before you were born; I guess I know West St. Paul when I see it." Sauntering up to the depot he met the man in charge, who, surprised, asked: "What's the matter? left?" Left! thed-1, what do you mean?" asked Bircher. "Why, this is Randolph, thirty two miles from St. Paul!" To use a slang phrase, Bircher tumbled at
once, and soon after the cars backed down and took him on board, and since then "Billy" has not been playing as many jokes as usual, for he found out that there is truth in the old axiom: "Diamond cut diamond."

PERSONAL.
Mr. Bircher is a short, chunky man, very social and very kind hearted; broad gauged in his generosity, and delights in narrating many thrilling scenes of the war. Once when West St. Paul was flooded, many neighbors took shelter under "Billy's" hospitable roof, and they were received kindly, tenderly treated by the proprietor and his wife and a young man by the name of Conrad Stautz. then in his employ, and many years will elapse before those then gathered in safety from the roaring flood in Mr. Bircher's humble home will forget his kindly act. He is still the "drummer boy," where he has been for twenty years, "in the Great Western band, and can perform on either the little or the big drum, taking the blue ribbon as the best manipulator of the sticks. He is a gentleman very universally esteemed for his many excellent qualities and bears a good reputation as an honorable man.

St. Paul daily globe. (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, December 06, 1885, Image 12

also printed

Pen pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and biographical sketches of old settlers: from the earliest settlement of the city, up to and including the year 1857, Volume 1

William Bircher